Save Me And Change Me
by xxBrokenxxAngelxx
Summary: Living in routine and calculating everything around him, this redhead wonders what it would be like to feel...but unfortunately, feeling anything is out of the question. There is someone else, but will he leave as well? After all, why should they stay?
1. Daily Routine

**Save Me and Change Me**

_Author's Note: **Please read before going on to story:**_

_Hello! So, I've switched from Harry Potter Angst to Naruto Angst, have I? (frowns) Oh well. (shrugs) I like Gaara. _

_This is slightly um, out of the story line. (coughs) It still has all that ninja techniques and stuff, but instead of different areas where they all live, they all live like in one area, and all the kids go to the same school. Nothing major has happened yet. It's based on Gaara. I'm just making it up as I go, but I liked it, so I decided to put it up. Reviews motivate me, and if you want to see this go on, go ahead and review._

_This chapter is extremely short, and it's just to see if you guys like the idea and if or not I should keep going on. Don't worry, I'm not a fan of making short chapters, so the ones after this will be very, very, very long. I will post up the next chapter in, let's say five reviews encouraging me that this isn't a waste of time._

_Thanks for everything! I'm still behind on the episodes, I only started watching Naruto last week, and have only gone a little over 50 episodes. I did some backround searches on Gaara so that you guys wouldn't attack me, but I really wanted to get this out. I'm sure if I left it, I would probably never get it out. On to the story. Don't worry, the coming up Author Notes won't be this long. _

_Disclaimer: O.o I don't own Naruto?_

_Warning: Angsty. Will get angstier. But for the moment rated T._

Chapter One: Daily Routine

"Shit." The redhead cursed under his breath, eyes narrowed. How many times was it now? He'd lost count. Yet there was hope every time. Shattered the next moment. There was a knock on the door to the bathroom.

"Are you alright in there?"

He grunted, looking down at his wrist and staring at the sand protecting him from himself.

"Gaara?" A hint of anxiety.

_Tamari, leave me alone._

"What?" Sharp. Angry. His tone, that is.

Silence. _There always is._

Gaara dropped the object he'd been holding into his pocket, and walked over to the sink, eyes still narrowed. He turned on the tap. Had Temari walked away?

"I've prepared dinner."

No. She hadn't left.

Gaara grunted, louder. Sign of living.

Another pause. The water was running. His hands weren't even wet yet.

"Will you come down? To eat?"

_When have I not?_

"Yes." Gaara looked up from his dry hands, to the water rushing from the tap, and then to the mirror above the sink. He tensed as he found himself staring back. He hated mirrors. He touched his face. Hard. The sand. The armor. He dropped his gaze and his hand back to the water, and washed them. Sand. Again. Washed away? No. But momentarily detached.

It was alive.

He clenched his fist and stepped back from the sink, letting his hands drop to his sides. The sand returned to their place. His nails were now biting into sand. Not flesh. No blood. Never blood. From himself.

Sand.

Not sand.

Never was sand. Blood. Blood.

A dry sob trying to choke its way-

No. Mustn't. Can't.

_Even if I wanted to._

His right eye twitched very slightly.

"Gaara? Kankuro didn't mean it."

She was still there?

Gaara grunted and walked to the door. He waited for his sisters footsteps to disappear before he opened the door and stared blankly at the staircase where a flash of blonde hair had just disappeared.

_I want to feel pain._

He shook the thought from his mind. He'd thought it too many times for it to have any significance anymore. The redhead paused, inhaled, exhaled, and then followed his sister downstairs.

Just another day.

**Is it worth it? 5 reviews please! You'll get a long chappie! It might sound a bit off, but it's mostly every single thing Gaara thinks. If you don't like it, go ahead tell me. **


	2. Tempt Me, I Dare You

**Save Me And Change Me**

_Author's Note: Thank you plenty for the reviews! Not the amount I was going for, but I was surprised nonetheless. Gaara's a complicated character. In this chapter he may seem different then he was in the last chapter, but you'll get it soon. In short: He's moody. _

(cuddles Gaara)

Gaara: (sniffs) This was a long one. And there wasn't enough action. Too many flashbacks.

Chapter Two: Tempt Me, I Dare You

"Have a good night's sleep, Gaara?" Kankuro asked the redhead nastily. There was anger in his eyes. Gaara looked up at him silently. Indifferent.

_He doesn't mean it. He never does. Yet.._

His older brother's expression changed. Softened. He was no longer mad about last night. He'd never been mad in the first place. He'd been hurt. But not mad.

* * *

_"We got a call from your Sensei today. Said you were acting up during Fitness and Survival."_

_Gaara, twelve years old, but more mature then could ever be expected, let his eyes narrow as he looked at his older brother. _

"_Kankuro, leave it." Temari muttered, stirring the pot in the kitchen, and shooting a warning look over her shoulder at Kankuro, who sat across Gaara in the living room._

_Kankuro pretended not to hear her._

"_Listen, lately you haven't been so horrible, but this new blonde that seems to be walking with you home and to school; I think he's a bad influence. I don't like him. Haven't you heard what they say?"_

_Temari want to slap her forehead. Or better, Kankuro's. How hypocritical of him, when his brother was…their brother was…_

_Temari gritted her teeth. The only reason Gaara was so 'normal', at least not so murderous as before, was because of the blonde named Naruto._

"_What is it? To you?" Gaara sounded as he were attempting to surpress anger. That was the blonde's doing as well. Getting her younger brother to control his emotions...The blonde sure was something. Temari felt herslef smile slightly._

"_I'm your brother, Gaara. I don't want you-"_

_Kankuro stopped talking abruptly. Temari froze. What was Gaara doing? Would she have to go out there?_

"_You are only my brother in the very vague sense of the word." A pause. Temari winced. Kankuro may act tough, but those words must've stung. "Other then living in the same territory, we have no business with each other." Ouch. Was that it? No; she heard Gaara sniff. "And do not talk about the blonde that way."_

_Temari didn't have to go outside of the kitchen to know that Gaara was on his feet now. _

"_Gaara, I didn't-listen, I don't have to hear-"_

_"No." Temari closed her eyes. Gaara's voice cut through the thick silence. "_You _listen to me. If you have a problem with the way I act when I act, and if you have a problem with others like me, then I will not hesitate to kill you." _

_Gaara hadn't meant it. But _He_ did._

_

* * *

_

"Gaara?" Kankuro's voice was tentative now. The redhead sensed a weak attempt at the anger that had been there just seconds before.

Temari walked into the kitchen, and a quick glance from the second eldest brother to the youngest one told her what she needed to know.

"So, what's for breakfast?" She asked cheerily, plastering a smile onto her face. Kankuro mumbled something and slammed the refrigerator door that he been holding open. He looked at the redhead, who now focused his attention on the window, and then to his elder sister. He left, brushing past Gaara who stood in the doorway.

Temari turned her eyes to the redhead.

"Do you want me to make you anything?"

_No._

Temari watched as her brother didn't bother to respond, but just continue his blank stare out the window. He looked as if he was thinking hard. That wasn't good. It never was.

She's staring. She's concerned, the redhead thought._ But for herself_. _Always. Like all of them._

Gaara clenched his hands. _Don't know why you bother._

Turning, he shifted the large gourd on his back and started to leave but stopped when he heard his sister murmur,

"Gaara, please."

The redhead frowned. Why was she pleading? _Why did she sound so desperate?_

Probably sensing his attention, Temari managed to repeat his name, louder. "Gaara."

_What?_

Gaara grunted, to show he was listening. Temari got so emotional, so easily. Well towards him, she did. But in battles…

"I…" She stopped. She was changing her track of thought. Why? _What did she want to say so badly before?_ He heard her sigh."…Kankuro and I won't be home when you return from school today. Kankuro has something to deal with after school, and so do I."

The redhead didn't say anything.

_How is this relevant to me?_

Temari let a breath of air she'd been holding out.

"Maybe you should bring a friend home with you. I don't want-I mean I know you really like that blonde-" Temari cut herself off as she felt as the air surrounding her and her brother thicken slightly.

"I will do as I please." The first words to come from his throat in over the hours of half a day. Slightly hoarse.

Silence. She was staring at the back of his head. Intensely. He started to walk when Temari stopped him again.

"Gaara, its not you I'm not trying to control. You_ know.._" She let the words die on her tongue as felt something unreadable radaiting off her brother.

_What do I know so well? That I can't handle Him? Well I know that. _Mother..

Temari cleared her throat.

"Gaara, you know why I don't like you being anywhere alone. I know you can take care of yourself but-"

_But I can't take care of Him? Is that it? _Was he shaking? No, that couldn't be.

"But his men are still out there. If they're faster.."

_Oh._ She meant someone else. Another Him.

"They won't be. I'm going to be late for school." _Is there anything else?_

"We care about you. Don't think I don't know what you…Gaara, we are still family." _What? What do you know?_

There was a sting of pain that shot through the redhead's mind as he heard the word 'family' play itself over and over in his mind. _Mom._ The redhead's icy eyes grew somewhat dangerously.

_You don't. Care._

He felt his body go rigid. He saw bits of sand, _ashes not ashes but ashes,_ _the blood I smell the blood, _in the air before him. _Control. You must._ A sharp intake of breath behind him told Gaara that Temari sensed the anger flowing through his veins. Through the sand. He realized he had a clump of his hair gripped between his fingers and let go, his hand falling to his side.

"G-G-"

"Temari, Gaara's going to be-_what's _going on?"

_STOP._

Gaara opened his mouth and inhaled. The eyes he didn't know he'd shut opened and he saw Kankuro, in front of him, looking above him, eyes wide. Surprised. _What had he been doing?_ There was a slow exhale from Gaara's lips. Kankuro looked at Gaara for a moment, shocked, incredulous. The sand was coming back to Gaara, spiraling around him slowly. He'd never hurt Temari. _Unless needed. _

Kankuro's eyes. Fury. Sudden fury. Burning. Staring at him. Piercing.

Then Temari was coughing behind them. She was struggling to say something.

Gaara let himself relax, calling the sand to-

"Unh."

Back slammed against the wall and Kankuro's hand pressed against his neck. Gaara could almost feel it through the armour. _Put more pressure,_ the sadistic thought flew through his mind, almost as an order to his older brother.

"What the hell were you doing?!" Kankuro demanded, his grip on the younger one's sand covered neck tightening. The sand never came up to block him immediately for family members anymore. _Mom. Her doing. _However, if Kankuro decided to go on like this…

Behind his older brother grew a wave, a wall of the light brown Gaara had grown to hate.

"K-Kankuro! Stop it! Drop him! Or he'll-" Temari was gasping uselessly.

'Or he'll' _what? Will I kill you?_

As if shocked, Kankuro let go, and stepped back, the fury blending in with fear in his eyes. _Why? _The redhead found his answer a second later.

His older brother's hands came to his throat. He tried to pull away the hand the sand had made, which was now doing the same movement Kankuro had been doing to Gaara. He was choking. And then coughing. He fell to his knees, coughing and coughing and-

On the floor. _Blood._ Mixed with grains of sand. When had it gotten in his lungs? The sand continued to strangle his brother.

It wasn't the first time. When will he learn? The redhead felt himself scowl. More importantly, _when will It stop protecting himself? _Mom..

* * *

"_What-what are you doing,Gaa-make it let go!" Six year old Kankuro panicked as sand that came from the air surrounding his little brother shaped into a hand and grabbed onto the small body. Seven year old Temari watched in awe as Kankuro frantically tried to rip away from the prevailing sand._

_Five year old Gaara cowered against the wall, body wracked with sobs from fear of being hit by his older brother. "I'm sorry Kannie, I promise I won't take your toys again!" His eyes squeezed shut to not have to see his respected brother hit him; Gaara was blind to what was occuring._

"_Uncle Yashamaru!!" Temari was crying out, not really frightened, but not excited either._

_This was when five year old Gaara decided to open his eyes._

_

* * *

_

Kankuro continued to cough, more blood mixed with a surprising amount of sand trickling from his mouth onto the tiled floor. Temari groaned. More exasperated then anything.

Before another word could be said, Gaara found himself leaving the room the sand quick to follow him. His brother was still choking on sand on the floor, and his sister was at the other end of the kitchen, exhausted and frustrated and breathing some sand. Two feet from the door, Gaara raised his hand and the door opened as the sand became his hand and turned the doorknob..

_And how he hated it._

_

* * *

_

"_Wha-what-" _

"_Gaara, stop it!" Gaara flinched as the uncle that had never yelled at him before did exactly that. Frightened, Gaara looked back at his brother, who was now completely surrounded by sand._

Kill him. He tried to hurt you._ "NO!" The five year old shouted out, tearfully. He blinked and tried to bring every happy moment to the front of his mind, every moment he'd had with his brother. But he couldn't. And then-_

_It was over. Gasping, the little redhead staggered back only to feel his back slam into a wall. He watched as the sand dispersed from Kankuro's body and came to swirl around him. It would disappear soon. It's only visible when it's being used and the few moments afterwards._

_But…_

_That hadn't happened before. Not to a close family member._

_Gaara looked up at his guardian only to see a flash of anger in the respected adult's eyes. But then it was gone, and Gaara wondered if it had ever been there in the first place._

_He looked down and saw Ai. He quickly picked it up and squeezed it against his chest, trying to get rid of the headache._

_The bear eased nothing._

_

* * *

_

**Review? **(pouts and goes into corner)

Gaara: (looks over at sulking figure and sighs, rolling eyes) Angel sulking is one thing I don't want to have to deal with. Leave your reviews. An update will be written once there are 5. If more, then you'll expect the update sooner. If not, she will take her precious time.

(smiles)

Gaara: The sadistic bitch. She learns it from me.

**Any ideas on a pairing you have in mind? Boy/boy is one I have in mind right now. But it's your opinion. By the way, the rating will increase as this goes on. Not so much for smut, at least not yet, but more for the angstyness.**


	3. Uzumaki Naruto

_Author's Note: Heyy! The reviews were awesome! Thank a lot! Anyways, Naruto doesn't belong to me. Gaara, unfortunately, doesn't either. But I stole him anyways. (evil cackle)_

_The armour of sand, I have to admit, confuses me. But I've already started writing it as Gaara wearing it all the time, so I think I'll just keep it that way. My bad, sorry. But this way, Gaara can't really depend on the limited amount of Chakra he has due to the armour, and must depend on his sand, or those around him. (shrugs). The flashbacks are just to settle the story. Plus, have you seen Naruto? Well obviously, but (laughs) it's filled with flashbacks. Hopefully mine aren't as bad ;-). _

_Thanks for the feedback! I'll keep the romance away for now. ANGST ANGST ANGST!! Ahem. Onto the story. Questions? Feedback? Anything? Just review._

Gaara: --..

Chapter Three: Uzumaki Naruto

"Hey Gaara! Did you finish the homework Kakashi Sensei had assigned for us?" A loud voice called from behind the redhead. Gaara didn't have to turn to know that a blonde was stumbling after him, a big grin on his face.

"Hn." Gaara grunted, and slowed his pace slightly letting the blonde catch up to him. Not that he cared. _Like you could._ The blonde was rambling distastefully.

"Oh, well I didn't get the chance to finish. But I don't think he'll care. He'll probably be late for class anyways. We get groups today; I hope I'm with you! You or Sakura." Gaara narrowed his eyes as they continued to walk.

Why? _You don't own him._

"Hinata's nice to me as well, but being with you would be better!" Felt himself soften. The blonde had been there from the beginning. "After all, we friends have to stick together." The blonde ended happily. We demons. _Us monsters._

_

* * *

__A boy leaned against the fence. Alone. As usual. It hadn't even changed here, and this was his first day._

"_Shh, don't talk to him, he might hurt you."_

"_Don't even look at him, I heard that once he choked a boy that he thought looked at him the wrong way."_

"_What is with his eyes?"_

_"I think they're dreamy…"_

"_Eww, Ino, what makes you say that!?"_

"_Ino, you think any guy is gorgeous-"_

"_Shh, I think he's listening to us."_

"_Let's leave before he calls the power of the sand!"_

_Nervous giggles, One of the girls however hit the pink haired girl, eyes widening at the redhead who was staring at them almost aggressively. She had purple hair._

_Hmph, how odd. Seeing pink on the head of one was one thing. Seeing purple on the head was another thing as well. But both together?_

_Then there was the sound of rapid footsteps.. Pale icy azure almost turquoise eyes watched the four girls running away. From him. The first day of school, and 8 year old Gaara had already become an outcast. Oh well. He deserved it. _No you don't.

_After all, did one not come to school to study? _

_Arms crossed firmly across his chest, the redhead waited for the break time to end. For the whispers and giggles and looks of fear to end. Not that they ever did, but in plain view, oh this only made Him want to-_

_No. It's not their fault. _What, so they can treat you this way?_ It's my fault. I called it upon myself._

"_Hey!!" Such an obnoxious voice. Who was the unpleasant child calling…? Couldn't possibly be him. There wasn't enough fear in the tone for someone to be calling him like that. _

_The redhead looked up only to see a blonde boy, approximately an age his own waving at him, unfazed by his glare and scowl, but a grin on his face. Such a carefree smile. "You're the new kid, huh?"_

"…" _Gaara opened his mouth slightly, but no sound came out. Why was this kid treating him like his equal. _You couldn't possibly consider yourself as low as him. _The blonde was still smiling. Must be some sort of spoiled brat. Naruto…from his class earlier that day. The troublemaker._

"_My name is Uzumaki Naruto! You may not have heard of me, but I will be famous and everyone will know who I am in the future!" The redhead blinked._

_Gaara gave him a cold look. Who did this kid think he was?_

_Naruto dropped the fist he'd been shaking in the air and slouched, suddenly looking hopeless and broken._

"_That'll be the only time I'll get respect. So I have to become Hokage." He said these words only to himself. The blonde swallowed hard. Gaara looked over his shoulder, at the other children who were watching the interaction. Didn't the blonde have any friends? Why was he here? _

_Hm, possibly a dare. Or he lost a bet?_

_But…Intriguing. There was pain in his words. The redhead turned his light eyes to the dark blue ones filled with determination. When he saw the redhead looking at him, the blonde tilted his head to a side, all seriousness of the situation evaporating._

_The blonde gave the redhead a timid smile, unlike the large proud grin he'd had on earlier. "Iruka Sensei said your name was Gaara, right? Gaara of the Sand, or something?"_

_The redhead looked over the blonde. He was persistent. _He isn't scared of you._ Uzumaki Naruto, was it? But..where had he heard that name before?_

_

* * *

_

There was a pause. Naruto was probably waiting for Gaara to add something. Naruto was the only one that could actually aggravatethe silent redhead into talking. _But do you mind? You don't._

"The pink haired one is annoying." Gaara mumbled, shifting the gourd on his back. "That's all that describes her."

Naruto frowned, tilted his head to a side and looked at the redhead, who continued to stare ahead blankly.

"Who-Sakura?"

Gaara blinked._ Did they know anyone else who had pink hair?_

Gaara sniffed. Naruto was the only one that the redhead knew that could make him feel something other then angry or desperate or apathetic. Naruto could actually cause Gaara to feel sarcastic or exasperated.

Probably the reason why the redhead didn't kill him.

"Hn."

"She's not annoying! She's beautiful, and smart, and sensible and-" Naruto cut himself off with a dreamy sigh.

_To each their own._

They continued to walk. The two lived a far distance from the school they attended, but the time past by pretty quickly. _Unlike the time that doesn't pass by at night._

"Didn't you mention once that you thought she was pretty?" Gaara's eyes flashed towards the other blonde, trying to recall any moment in his life where he'd call the emotional brat pretty.

* * *

_Leaning against the fence, now a habit during break times such as these, a redhead watched from the corner of his eye a blonde stuffing himself up with noodles that came from a cup. _

_The blonde noticing someone watching him, looked up and swallowed. Holding out the cup of ramen, the boy asked, "Do you want some? You never bring a lunch, but you watch me as if-"_

"_You eat noisily." A statement. Naruto blinked. He looked at the cup of food. Then up at the redhead. _

"_Does that mean you don't want any?" A sigh from the redhead._

"_No."_

"_Oh." Silence._

_Gaara watched as a group of hormonal girls huddled in a corner by a tree, giggling and pointing at him. And a couple times at a black haired boy wearing blue who sat under the tree surrounded by a group of friends. But the giggling and pointing was different then it had been over a year ago. There wasn't anger or aversion in their eyes now. The fear still lingered, but now blending with infatuation. Not love, but just obsession. _

_The redhead narrowed his eyes, and turned his gaze to the Uchiha surrounded by couple boys. He was vain. The Uchiha. Naruto had once said that the boy named Sasuke would probably get along well with Gaara, due to their similarities._

_Gaara saw none. Naruto never bothered mentioning it again._

"_So pretty." Gaara frowned, and looked down at the boy who was staring off at the distance, an unreadable expression on his face._

"_What?"_

"_Sakura. Her hair…isn't it so..?"_

_Gaara looked up. Pink. Gaara could probably see why Naruto was so fascinated by it._

"_It's different." _That's saying something._ "It's only appealing because you've never seen something like it before."_

_Naruto looked up at the redhead, puzzled. "So… you mean, I don't really like her, I just like the fact that I've never seen anyone like her before?"_

"_Hn." _

"_That's something to think about…I guess.." Naruto looked up at the Gaara curiously. "Have you ever felt that way towards anyone? Like a crush? Love?"_

_Gaara's empty eyes flashed to Naruto, meeting his gaze. The answer lay in the void of emotion gaze. . _

_Naruto couldn't see it, no his friends face was impassive. But the murderous fury. It radiated off of him. What more, the blonde felt particles of dust-no sand, prickling against his face, sharp, almost biting into his skin as the second stretched on.. _

_Naruto flinched, realizing what was happening, and squeezed his eyes shut. Gaara pulled the anger back. It had been uncalled for. Naruto hadn't known better._

_However, the blonde hadn't tried to connect love to the redhead since the incident._

_

* * *

_

"Gaara?" Concerned. Worried.

"Yes." Gaara watched two children, probably around the age of four running around up ahead. There was a playground. A swing set.

Gaara's hand went up, to his tousled red tresses, and clutched onto a handful. Stupid headaches. _Sleep could probably cure that._

"You okay? You look far away."

* * *

"_Why do you hang out with me?" Nine year old Gaara questioned a blonde of the same age, who sat across from him, cards in hand, playing Solitaire with himself._

"_Huh?" The boy grunted, still concentrating on where to put a certain Jack. _

"_Don't you have other friends? The ones you had before I came?" Gaara wasn't one to push. He wasn't one to care. But curiosity got the better of him. Why did this good looking, friendly, and kind blonde hang out with an outcast, a recluse like him?_

_Naruto froze. Gaara watched the hand that held the Jack go to a complete stop. Looking towards his face, Gaara noticed Naruto's head was slightly hung, his hair covering his eyes, and a shadow on what could be seen of his face. His lower lip trembled. _

_Then the blonde lowered his eyes to the ground, so that all Gaara could see of the head was his hair. Gaara noticed the usually proud, happy composure crumbling slightly._

_The redhead waited. He knew not to say anything._

_It took Gaara a moment to realize the Naruto's shoulders were shaking. Looking down at the cards, Gaara noticed a couple wet spots on the scattered cards. Teardrops._

_The blonde was crying._

"_There were none." You couldn't tell from the way he said those three words that he blonde had tears rolling down his face. _

_Gaara's eyes flickered up at the untidy blonde hair. _You know nothing at all about him. _I've been with him for over a year, and I don't know anything other then that he lives alone and he has a lot of Chakra about him._

_Naruto looked up and Gaara saw the tears on the others face. The blue eyes were darker then ever. He stared intensely at the redhead. Gaara frowned._

_Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked suddenly up and over Gaara's shoulder, deeply. Gaara turned his head and saw three boys. One was eating, one was playing with a small white dog, and one was napping with his back against a tree._

_Then another boy with black hair,thea boy that Gaara had a strong dislike for, walked over to them with his arms crossed. He said something to them. The one napping opened his eyes and yawned, glaring at the boy named Sasuke._

"_Shikamaru." Naruto sniffed. "The one against the tree, that's him. We have him in our second class. We used to get in trouble a lot because we fell asleep. The one playing with the dog. We got in trouble a lot for being easily distracted. Kiba, that's his name. Chouji. He always gave me his snacks in class. For that, we got in trouble."_

_Gaara almost wanted to sneer. _

"_What happened?"_

"_Before _that day_, I at least had those three. I could trust them to be there for me if needed. Well not really Shikamaru, but I could get to him sometimes."_

_Gaara watched silently as the Uchiha was in what looked like an argument with the boy who now held the dog. _

"_Sasuke and I never really got along. He was popular, and I wasn't. When we were alone, sometimes the boy would, I don't know, not exactly be nice, but he talked to me. He asked me if I was alright. He had parents then. And a brother."_

_Gaara watched Shikamaru saying something, almost spitefully to the Uchiha._

"_We had some things in common. I never hated him. Even now, I don't. Though it's his fault."_

_Gaara didn't flinch when the Uchiha suddenly looked up towards them, far across the playground. He felt the dark eyes burning into his own. And then shift behind him. Gaara scrutinized the Uchiha's expression. _

"_He was angry. Something happened earlier that day. I learned what, later. But I didn't know when he was yelling at me. He just mad me feel so…bad. Everything he said…they all got to me."_

_The expression wasn't hard. Not as angry as it had been. No now it was still angry, but more towards him, Gaara. There was also concern. He saw Naruto crying. _He must think it's my fault.

"_He just yelled at me. He wouldn't stop. Blamed it all on me. Told me I could rot by myself, but I didn't have to drag him down as well. I barely knew what he was talking about."_

_Gaara sneered now. At the Uchiha who was watching them both. The three boys had gone back to doing what they'd been doing before._

"_But it hurt. Every word. He talked about the fact that I had no parents. He told me I wasn't loved. I don't know why, and I knew he was in pain, and I knew that I shouldn't believe him. His eyes had pain and grief in them. Not hatred. But…Gaara, it hurt."_

_I bet it had. The Uchiha hadn't taken his eyes off the pair sitting by the fence._

"_And I felt-I felt angry. I wanted for him to know it wasn't my fault. Even though we both knew that. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba had all been around me. Kiba had started to yell at Sasuke, but it was too late. It had already started."_

_Gaara had thought he knew nothing about the other boy. But by the end of the day, he found out more then he needed to know. _

_And none of it was pleasant._

_

* * *

_

"I'm fine."

Naruto watched the redhead wearily.

"You look tired." A pause, where the redhead simply blinked. Naruto looked at his feet abashed. "Well that was stupid of me. Of course you're tired." Naruto half smiled, scratching the back of his head.

Naruto was probably the only other one in the world from, his mom of course, that knew more then his name about him. Not the equal amount, but the blonde knew a fair bit. More then Temari at least.

And Gaara never had to kill Naruto after telling him so much. And Naruto wasn't scared of him either.

A ball rolled from the soccer field they were passing and stopped in their path. Gaara looked at it. Ir was green, with golden stars around it. The two stopped.

A boy, around seven, stumbled towards it, in muddy soccer uniform. Without noticing the redhead and blonde standing there, the boy grumbled something and bent over to pick it up. He straightened up, and then caught the eyes of the two other boys.

His mouth slackened, jaw dropping slightly. Gaara felt his eyes narrow. His head started to pound. Naruto laughed uncomfortably.

"H-Hey." Naruto was trying to smile, trying to get rid of the frightened look in the seven year old's eyes.

Gaara's icy eyes were as mortal as ever.

"Uh-uh-I-" The boy was stammering. "MOMM!" A high pitched scream shot through the sidewalk. Naruto started, but then the boy was off, dropping the ball and running back towards the field. "Hey, kid! Your ball!"

"Argh!" Gaara grabbed onto his hair, and felt himself lose feeling in his knees.

"Gaara, what's wrong?" Naruto whipped around only to see the redhead start to fall. Naruto was on his knees in a flash, and he had an arm around Gaara, the only thing that was supporting the redhead at the moment.

"Leave me-" The redhead was cut off by sudden coughing. Oh his head hurt. Naruto was still holding him.

"The boy's gone, Gaara…What's wrong?"

Breathing laboured and strained, the redhead tried to push away from Naruto. "No-you'll-Unh!" Another pang of pain streaked through the redhead's confused mind.

"Gaara, is it the headaches? Do you want me to get help?"

The redhead groaned, shook his head once, and tried to shove Naruto away before slumping into the other boy's arms.

* * *

**Yeah, the uppies are getting longer. (shrugs) Can't help it. **

**You know what to do. 7 reviews for next update. I'm tired of seeing like 150 hits and like four reviews. (sighs) Somewhat discouraging.**

**But for those who do review :D Gaara coookiess! (throws them)**


	4. Past Revealed

_Author's Note: Sorry about that. Was a bit busy. No excuse though. Here you go! Thanks for the reviews, made me super motivated D._

_Note to new beta: I tried sending it to you..but I couldn't attach it and then my Windows Live went all AJRKELA;EWR and so did my browser and then I got lazy xDD. I'll send you the next installment in a bit )._

* * *

Chapter Four: Past Revealed

The blonde sat in the chair not saying a word. She'd been like that for the past 20 minutes; since Kankuro had gone to school. It was a good thing her brothers didn't go to the same school.

They really cared about each other. At least inside. Well, Kankuro did. And sometimes, Gaara would give her reason to believe he cared as well.

Temari picked up the cup of coffee on the table and put it to her lips. She sipped slightly.

There was a knock on the door.

She put down the cup, her forehead creasing. She got to her feet. It wouldn't be Gaara…her younger brother wouldn't bother himself with knocking. And Kankuro had a key. Plus he always left the door open.

Temari got to her feet and contemplated actually opening the door. Whoever it was couldn't possibly be important. She sighed. But, if it was..

She took her time walking to the door. The person was still there. In fact whoever it was were still knocking.

"A waste of my precious time." Temari mumbled, before putting her hand on the doorknob and turning it. She opened the door.

"_Uh...Um...Gaara? Um, what's wrong?" 8 year old Naruto Uzumaki stammered, looking at his new found friend writhing on the floor, clutching onto his head._

_The young boy let out a quick gasp as a wave of sand grew and-_

"_Urgh-Ahhhh!!" Naruto grunted and then shouted as the wave hit him int eh face and threw him backwards. The small body flew through the air and slammed into a brick wall of a house. The blonde fell to the ground into a motionless lump._

"Gaara! Shit." Naruto looked up and cursed again as he saw no one, no one that could help in sight. "Damn it."

"Nar-Uzumaki, what happened?" A voice behind him. Before turning around, the twelve year old tried to place the voice. But he hadn't heard it for such a long time. Not without the fear or hatred that it usually held.

But it couldn't be...

The Uchiha.

The blonde had turned his head, and now stared, not in relief, but in shock at the dark haired boy standing behind the pair, hands in his pockets, and head tilted slightly to a side.

"Sa-You."

"What happened?" An undertone. Barely louder then a whisper. As if he couldn't be heard talking to the outcast. The demon.

Naruto opened his mouth to retort that it wasn't his business when-

Gaara shifted. Naruto turned his attention back to the redhead in his arms. A groan escaped from the other's lips.

"Naruto, answer me."

"Shut up for a second, will you?"

* * *

_The headache ceased in the redhead on the ground, and Gaara found himself breathing a bit more evenly._

_The boy opened his eyes and let out another groan. He pulled himself up into sitting position and looked around for the blonde. _

"_Naruto?" The little redhead froze. He saw the blonde slumped against the wall. Not moving._

So? What's the matter? You've done it before.

_The redhead was shivering. Gaara, instead of knowing the he should be going towards his 'friend', started to back away. No. He didn't want to face Naruto up close. The resignation that would be in his eyes. That he…his…_

_He saw the blonde struggling. Getting to his knees. Gaara could hear him coughing._

"_Hey-" Naruto broke off coughing. He stumbled to his feet and then staggered. He leaned against the wall he'd been so viciously thrown at, and looked at the redhead, on the ground just over 15 yards from him. Sand was strewn around the area._

_Here it comes. Gaara closed his eyes and gathered his composure. This is why he never-_

"_Hey, Gaara, what was that for?!" Gaara's eyes flashed upwards and widened. What was this? He was shouting in anger, not fear._

_And even the anger had a bit of exasperation in it. _

"_Uh, I, uh.." What was this feeling? He hadn't felt it in such a long time. _

"_Huh… do you do that normally?" The blonde scratched the back of his head and let out a cough before starting towards the redhead on the ground. "Because if you do, I'll start having to watch my back a lot more often, don't I? Heh." The…the blonde was grinning at him._

_He was grinning._

"_Uh...I.."_

_The boy stood in front of him now, holding out his hand for Gaara to take. _

_He tilted his head to a side at the look Gaara was giving him. "What's wrong?"_

"_You…you…"_

"_Oh, is that it?" Naruto shrugged and let out a chuckle. "I'm not hurt much. Why, were you meaning to hurt me?" Mock suspicion. He wasn't mad. He wasn't…he was still…but…why? "My knee hurts a little, but a good night's sleep will cure it, won't it?"_

_Gaara sniffed. _Not like I would know. _"You…you aren't mad?"_

"_Why should I be mad?" The blonde asked, his curiosity sincere. The hand was still out, inviting the redhead to take it._

_The redhead just looked at the other boy. There were scratches on his face, and sand in his hair. He wasn't mad? But…how…_

"_The sand thing is pretty cool though. Does it normally do that? You don't think you could teach me to do that, huh?" The smile on his face was still genuine. _

_He wasn't mad._

_He was.._

"_Argh." The 8 year old clutched his red hair. He…was…so confused. What was this boy playing at?_

"_Gaara?" He was curious. Concerned. That was all. And there wasn't fear in his voice!? Why _wasn't THERE _FEAR?! What wasn't he running away?_

_Fine. Then he would bring fear. There was no way this boy would leave without fearing him._

* * *

"Y-you!" Temari gasped, backing back into her house, her eyes wide at the person who stood there.

"Temari. What a pleasure."

"H-How-y-you-" The blonde was suddenly seething, anger pulsing through her veins. Temari instinctively put her hand behind her only to find-she hadn't put on her fan yet today. "What the hell gives you the right to come here!? After what you've done!"

"Tsk, tsk Temari. That's no way to speak to your father now, is it?"

"G-Get out of here. What-what do I have with you?" _We left to get away from you._

"Now, now, Temari-kan, why the anger?" His passive face-how dare he? After what he'd done-no what he was doing to his…her..

"Leave. I…I don't want to talk to you." She started to shut the door when-

"Umph! What-what-" Temari felt her back hit the wall as the door was forced open by her father's subordinates.

"Where is Gaara?"

"What-I-But-"

Then, a knife to her throat. Her father stood in the doorway, as indolent as ever.

"Where is he?"

The sharp end was pressing. Temari gasped as she felt a sting and then red liquid trickling from the cut. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Where...is…What the-"

A slam. A thud. The knife was pulled away, and then more crashes. Temari's eyes flew open and she saw a boy, couldn't be older then her own brother, standing in the middle of the room, and a large shadow from under him. His onyx hair was in a pony tail and his hand showed a technique.

No one was moving.

"Who-?"

"You alright? A man must never pass a woman in distress without jumping into action. No matter how troublesome it may be." The boy sighed, rolling his eyes.

Who was this kid?

* * *

"Gaara?" The blonde whispered, frowning in concern at the boy in his lap.

"Why do you bother?" A cold voice tinted with curiosity asked from behind him.

"Why do you care?" Naruto snapped back. "Why don't you just go already?"

The Uchiha sighed, looking at the blonde mildly.

"I'll go get help."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Why?" Why after all this time..? After all that had happened?

* * *

_A red light emitted from a furious blonde surrounded by his friends. Being only six, most of the children didn't know what it was. But Nara Shikamaru did._

"_But…the chakra…it's…not blue." The boy with the ponytail said warily, eying his blonde friend anxiously._

"_I have a bad feeling about this." said a chubby boy named Akimichi Chouji before popping a couple chips into his mouth. _

"_Leave him alone!" Shikamaru cried out, running in front of Naruto and spreading his arms out, almost as if to guard Naruto from Sasuke's words._

_The almost in tears Uchiha's eyebrows flew upwards defensively. "You can't tell me-"_

"_N-Naruto?" Inuzuka Kiba clutched the white puppy to his chest, eyes widening. "Wh-wha..?"_

"_SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Shikamaru flinched and then grunted as his blonde friend shoved him away to the floor. The red chakra increased, spiralling around the blonde and the in shock brunette. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS, BUT I DID'NT DO NOTHING!" _

"_Anything." Shikamaru automatically corrected under his breath. He sat frozen, staring at the boy he'd considered friend, now frightening all his classmates._

_Meanwhile Naruto had grabbed the Uchiha by his collar and had lifted him up. Kiba's eyes widened as he noticed, was it FANGS?, in the mouth of his best friend._

"_I-uh-.." Sasuke's eyes had no hint of anger left in them now. Fear was the only thing that had appeared in his onyx eyes._

"_UZUMAKI NARUTO, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" An elder voice demanded in a loud voice from behind Shikamaru. Shikamaru detected a hint of fear in the older man's voice as well._

_Said boy's head snapped to the side, eyes widening, the fangs shrinking, and _the redness?_ from his eyes disappearing to the dark blue they were. The red chakra decreased. There was a thud as Sasuke Uchiha hit the ground and lay there, eyes wide at the shorter blonde, who staggered back. The chakra dispersed._

* * *

"Mmph." Both sets of eyes flew to the shuddering redhead. "Hn-N-Nar-" Eyelids opened to reveal icy turquoise. Confusion at seeing the blonde and the Uchiha. "What?"

"Gaara!" Naruto grinned. "You're okay!" The boy blinked. Once. Twice. Then his eyes widened and he sat up, pushing Naruto away forcefully in the process.

"What do you think you were doing?" Gaara spat wrathfully, nose scrunched up. The Uchiha frowned. Naruto looked at the redhead dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

"Don't ever touch me! How many times have I told you that?" Gaara snarled. "You can never tell what happens when I-" The boy quickly cut himself off, looking away. Sasuke looked at Naruto who simply had his head tilted to a side. He didn't seem to mind that the boy was yelling at him right after having been taken care of by him.

Well even if the blonde didn't care, it sure pissed Sasuke off.

"What do you think _you_ are doing? This kid was helping you!"

Naruto froze. What was going on with the Uchiha?

Gaara looked up from the brunette to the blonde calculatingly. His eyes narrowed.

Naruto moved forward, towards Gaara. Something was in his eyes, something Naruto didn't trust.

"Get away!" Gaara suddenly cried out, in a shrill voice Naruto had never heard him use.

And then there was sand.

* * *

**Okay, in all honesty, I don't really know where I'm going with this xDD. Well I have some bit of an idea, like ANGST ANGST ANGST, but still...(smirks) I like romance too. There are lots of pairings I've opened with this update, which was the point of it, I guess. There will be ANGST ANGST ANGST, no worries. But I'm a fun person too ..**

**Gaara: Of course. Anyways, review please. (picks up cookie and munches on it)**

**I've worked on the next chapter, and I'm almost done. I'll post it up once I've gotten a satisfactory amount of reviews. I've been unbearably busy, considering this IS the March Break and I SHOULD be emo about being bored...but I'm not . ...Well we're also about to move so its complete and utter chaos. Anyways, review, and I'll update as soon as I've sent it to my precious beta .**

**Gaara: Weren't you saying something about starting another fic with me in it, but Sasu/Naru being the main stuff?**

**Uh, actually about that...Yeah. It's more angsty but with some humour. I'm planning on setting Gaara up with Neji D...or whatever. Anyways...um...(scratches back of head) Review please?**


	5. You Weren't Supposed to Come Back

_Author's Note: Hey! Thanks for all the reviews! . I thought I'd sent this to my beta, turns out that I was high off coffee whitener when I was thinking that. Sorry!! . Hope this is good enough. It didn't come out the way I hoped it would…And the whole Kankuro/Temari thing is fully JUST brother sisterly. My friend read it when she was over and she's all "WOOT SANDCEST!" and I was like "…I'll pass." I just wrote it extra emotionally because I don't have a brother. Or a sister. So this is how I thought things would be. ANYWAYS enough of my ramblingness. I was on some sorta grape juice when I wrote this. Sorry about that._

Chapter Five: You were supposed to disappear and NEVER come back.

"Who-who are you?"

"No time for introductions, blondie. These guys are strong." The boy scratched his head. The four people caught by the shadow scratched their heads. Temari blinked. Her father looked beyond annoyed.

"What kind of subordinates are you, letting yourselves be taken advantage of by a kid?"

"Sorry Kazekage-sama. We were caught off guard." The boy in the middle suddenly looked wary. The three ninja's around him looked more menacing then ever.

"Uh oh.."

"Temari. We will be back. For your own sake, hope that Gaara will be here when we are."

"And you, brat, we hate those who interfere." The shadow suddenly disappeared, and Temari only had to blink to hear a sudden grunt of pain, and then a flash.

They were gone.

The boy was on his knees, his hands pressed to the side of his stomache. Temari gasped as she saw blood dripping from the younger boy's fingers and falling to the ground.

"Uh, oh shit." The boy pulled his hand from where the knife had so bluntly stabbed him and looked at the blood on his hands. "How-how troublesome." He looked bleakly up at the blonde still standing stock still against the wall. Then his eyes fell shut and he fell onto his side.

* * *

"Damn it, Gaara!" Naruto cursed, and quickly formed his hands into a seal. "Shield no jutsu!"

"What are you-?!" The words died on Sasuke's lips.

A semi sphere of Chakra had covered the pair. The sand bounced off it and returned to Gaara, who had fallen onto his knees. The shield of Chakra disappeared and Naruto took a step forward, eyes narrowed.

"Calm down." It was just above a whisper. Gaara fell onto the floor from his knees, before bringing them back to him.

Sasuke watched on with amazement. The redhead, who as still breathing harshly looked at him, fury in his eyes. Naruto didn't move. The fury softened into something Sasuke couldn't read, and then into exasperation. Then all emotion disappeared.

"Sorry." Impassive. Apathetic. Sasuke wondered if the boy could possibly mean his words.

"Eh, it's what I learnt the shield thing for, right?" Naruto grinned. The redhead just looked at him.

The Uchiha stood there, not knowing what to think..

"Hn." Sasuke walked past them both, rolling his eyes.

Gaara glared at the back of the brunette's head and Naruto sighed. "We better start going too. We'll probably end up late."

Gaara didn't say anything. His head still hurt. He sat on the floor, his knees still brought up to his chest, and his two palms pressed against the small pebbles on the ground, the small stones would probably be cutting into his flesh if he hadn't had the sand-

"Gaara?" The redhead's eyes flashed up towards the blonde. Gaara blinked when he saw how close Naruto had gotten, the cerulean orbs peering at his own icy turquoise ones curiously. "You okay?"

Without bothering to reply, Gaara pushed himself up and took a step back. Naruto regarded the silent boy almost anxiously.

"Gaara?"

"Let us go." The boy shifted the gourd on his back.

"Gaara." Gaara glanced up at the sincerity in the other boys tone. The seriousness. He looked at Naruto to show he was paying attention. "What happened?"

Gaara took a second to realize Naruto was probably an inch taller then him. Maybe even two.

"Nothing."

Naruto knew that wasn't the case. But he didn't bother to express his thoughts.

"You okay now?" Naruto always did this after one of Gaara's sudden…(seizures could you call it?) attacks.

Gaara started to walk away from Naruto, who frowned, before running to catch up with him. "I'll take that as a yes."

Gaara grunted, quickening his pace. He spotted the Uchiha far ahead, a group of girls behind him. Where'd they come from?

"There's going to be a teamwork assignment introduced today." Naruto said suddenly. "Iruka-Sensei said that three people from our class will be sorted into groups! Won't that be fun? He also said older students who want extracurricular hours will be able to be put into groups as well!"

Gaara glanced at the blonde who was now shining. "I really hope you're in my group."

"Hm."

Naruto's face fell at the short apathetic grunt. "Don't you wish the same in return?"

"Not particularly." Gaara mumbled. Naruto glared at him. Then his face broke out in a grin.

"You're lying!"

Gaara raised a hairless eyebrow but made no reply. Naruto laughed, obviously happy. "I knew it!"

* * *

Snapping out of whatever trance she'd been in, Temari gasped as the boy fell into unconscious and ran to his side.

"Fuck, there's so much blood." She muttered, and then turned the boy so that he was facing her instead of on his side. There was already blood on her hands. She looked at the crimson liquid on her fingers and then at the unconscious boy.

"Shit. Shit, fuck, shit. Fuck. Fucking shit." Temari did what she did when she had no idea what to do next. And when no one was around.

"Damn it, if I at least knew his name I could somehow find his parents and…no, calm down Temari. First thing you have to do is clean up this mess. No, no, you have to stop the bleeding. Yes. That's it. Where are the band-aids?" Knowing she worked better when she talked to herself, Temari continued to do so as she got to her feet and glanced at the open door. She decided it would be better to leave it open. Maybe someone would be able to help.

She looked down at the boy. She sighed. She'd have to pick him up.

And she did exactly that. With the blood staining her clothing and hands, Temari staggered back with the heavy boy in her arms. She was somewhat used to carrying her brothers, Gaara whenever he got horrible headaches, and Kankuro, when Gaara got horrible headaches.

A little smirk on her pretty face, Temari took the still bleeding boy to the living room and placed him on the couch, not trying to picture the blood that would be on it afterwards. She went to the kitchen for some band-aids.

"Temariii! Why's the door open?" Yes, he'd come back. For god knows what reason, but he had. Holding a towel in her hand, the blonde hurried to the front door, throwing a concerned glance at the boy who didn't look as if he were breathing on the couch.

"Kankuro, get help!" She shouted, running into the hallway and catching the first incredulous and then shocked gaze on her younger brother.

"What the hell happened!? You have blood all over you-" Kankuro dropped the bag he was holding and took a step forward, cutting himself off.

Temari contrarily took a step back. "It's not mine." This only caused Kankuro's eyes to widen more.

"What? Whose-Gaara! Is he okay?" Kankuro made to push past Temari, but Temari held him back.

"It isn't Gaara, and-"

"Temmie, what happened?" Kankuro asked softly, grabbing the hand Temari had used to stop him on his shoulder. His eyes had darkened. "Temari…I felt _him._"

Oh. That's why he'd returned. Had their younger brother felt their father too?

She hoped not. The blood died from her face.

Noticing the sudden silence in his older sister, the brunette's doubts faded, and Kankuro turned his attention to her. "Temari."

She was shaking. Damn it, they were just doing better, Gaara was getting softer, Kankuro was getting better grades and in less fights, and she was finally having some peace in her mind. Damn, why now? He'd just left.

"Temari?" Kankuro placed both his hands on the shivering shoulders, trying to catch her gaze. Temari was looking over his shoulder, her eyes somewhat glazed.

_He wasn't supposed to come back. He was supposed to have given up. Why did he find them? Why couldn't he leave them alone? Wasn't it enough?_

"Temari!" She jerked back to reality at the sharp anxious tone of her brothers and let her teal eyes focus onto the others' chestnut ones. Before she knew it, tears were rolling down her pale cheeks at all the pain her family had to endure because of that bastard, and she found herself fall into her younger brother's arms, letting him watch her lose her composure, if it was only for a moment.

"It-it was horrible. Th-thank god, Gaara wasn't-wasn't here." Temari gasped. "My-my neck, he had a-the-but then the boy came and-oh my gosh!" Temari pulled back, breathing in a shuddering breath. "The boy! He's in the living room. I have to go-you have to get-" It was only as she tried to move away that she realized Kankuro had a tight grip on her shoulders.

"What boy? What happened?"

"In the living room, come-let me go!"

"Breathe, calm down." Kankuro had never seen his sister so confused, and in such a disarray. She was always the one in control. It unnerved him to see her so broken. "Temari, your neck's bleeding."

"No-no its dried blood, the boy Kankuro, I don't know his name but-damn it let me go!" She pried away from his grip and pushed him away forcefully. The towel she'd held fell away somewhere during their conversation, and now as Kankuro was pushed back, he slipped on the wet towel and went down.

"Fuck!" Kankuro swore hotly as he threw his arm out to prevent himself from falling back. Temari winced.

"Sorry! Shit."

"Am I interrupting anything?" A bored, somewhat tired, and tinted with confusion voice came in.

* * *

I didn't get where I wanted to get with this chapter. It was supposed to introduce Sasuke and Sakura and Neji and everyone but I never got that far ...Oh yes, and I apologize for the vulgar language...For some reason I see the Sand Siblings as a bunch of pottymouths (gasp) xDD... 

Hope this wasn't horrible! Thank you mikokriszty!! Uhm, I think this is it. I copied and pasted it into a different document and being the smart one uploaded it onto this from another one o.O...


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